RAINBOW GLASSES

Just the other day, I met a few friends over a do. The vibe was casual and relaxed. Just then a close friend came up, patted my back and exclaimed, “ I love reading what you write my friend but think your thinking is too simplistic, it doesn’t work in the real world. Life is far more complicated than what you view through your rose- tinted glasses. I wish the world you talk about actually existed.” We exchanged smiles and for some strange reason, looking into her eyes,I felt that somewhere she wanted me to come up with an answer for her remark and prove her wrong. It was almost like listening to fairy tales in childhood and actually waiting for a fairy godmother to appear one day to usher you in the arms of your handsome Prince Charming ! A fantasy that could be true!

I resisted giving an explanation to my simplistic fairy tale thinking with blaring Dj in the background . To add to that was the fact that I also wanted to put my thought process through scrutiny. Very often, we are so strongly conditioned to believe or condemn certain things or actions in life that we overlook the other side of the story. I wanted to be sure if this wasn’t the case with me and my perception of life ,so decided to give it a thought. Her words were still ringing in my ears as I lay in my bed to retire. Just as I shut my eyes, I saw my dad with a little girl. This girl was me! A memory from my growing years.. My dad is a man of few words but a storehouse of immense knowledge and sensitivity. Even though papa used to be busy with his work, books and English movies, there are a few memories etched in my mind from back then. And this memory flashed out of nowhere! A rare , extremely casual conversation between him and me over a meal.

A story of a modest farmer who just finished ploughing his small field, resting under a shady tree in one corner of his farm. A wealthy merchant passed by just then and couldn’t resist starting a conversation with the farmer. He exclaimed,” how on earth can you lie there doing nothing! How can you be just satisfied with this small patch of land? Get up and move! You must grow and not be so lazy and laid back! “.

The farmer mumbled, “ Maybe you’re right but what should I be doing then?” “ Work twice as hard so that your produce is more. Then sell it both to yours and in the neighbouring village , make twice as much money!” The merchant was quick to reply. “And then?” The farmer asked. “You will then have enough money to buy more land. Your produce will become three times!” The merchant was eager to add. “ And then?” The farmer asked again. “ Then you’ll be the richest farmer in your village one day!” The merchant said proudly. To his surprise, the farmer asked again,” And then?”. By this time, the merchant lost his cool and retorted “ then you fool! You wouldn’t have to worry about anything, you’ll be able to just relax and enjoy life!” The farmer sprang up and chuckled, “ That’s exactly what I am doing now! I couldn’t be more content with my life , think you should let me relax and enjoy my life in peace and leave.” My father turned to me and then said, “ Life can be as simple or as complicated, it would always eventually be your call .You ought to understand what exactly you want from your life . Try not complicating it too much. The deepest pleasures and biggest joys of life lie in simplest of things only if you can put your mind to figuring yours!

At the tender age of twelve, I enjoyed it all as a warm story with perhaps a moral in the end. Little did I know that one day it will come as a flash back to me like this and give me all my answers.

Life is about making choices, ideally conscious ones that make sense to you personally. No point living a life that’s a mere ‘show- window ‘. Many of us then end up maintaining this show window of ours for the rest of our life just to make it look ‘picture perfect ‘to the world full of people who don’t matter much to us. Imagine three wires, red, blue and green. The red one is physical needs of our body to live and sustain, the blue one maybe basic material needs including clothing, shelter for a decent lifestyle and then the green one of our emotional and psychological needs. If we keep these wires clear and in their place, our life is a no mess , peaceful, uncomplicated experience where we thank God for His grace every moment, live in peace and harmony before we leave this world forever. On the other hand, if these wires get jumbled up due to unrelenting desires or greed for more and more, looking for validation for every action,it could lead to a short circuit sooner or later!

Stay free , happy, content and light ..life is simple unless we find a way to make it complicated. Let’s put those rose tinted glasses on and see how beautiful life can be filtering out the harsh ,self inflicted complications and miseries. In the words of Charles Mingus, “ Making the simple complicated is the common place;making the complicated simple, awesomely simple ,that’s creativity!”

In no time I was relaxed and slipped into deep slumber , hoping to see my friend soon , carrying rainbow glasses for her in my pocket!